The case of repeated discrediting of the army (Part 1 of Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code) against Ryazan resident Sergei Bakanov was submitted to the Oktyabrsky District Court of Ryazan on January 9. The case file is on the court website.
Bakanov is being persecuted because of three anti-war tweets. The case for re-discrediting the army was opened against him in October 2023. On October 4, Bakanov’s house was searched. On November 16, 2023, the man was charged under this article.
A case under the first part of Article 280.3 of the Criminal Code can be initiated if a person already has at least one court decision that has entered into force under a similar administrative article (Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code) within a year. Thus, in July, the Oktyabrsky District Court of Ryazan fined Bakanov 45 thousand rubles under the article on discrediting the army (Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code). The reason for the persecution was a post on Vkontakte about the bombing of civilian objects in Ukraine by the Russian military.
Bakanov is under an obligation to appear. On November 9, the man was fired from the plant after an investigator called its director.
Earlier, in January 2023, a case was also opened against a Ryazan resident for disrespect for a memorable date associated with the defense of the Fatherland (Part 4 of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code). The reason was a post on VKontakte dated May 6, 2022 with negative statements about the celebration of Victory Day. In particular, it said that this is “the day on which the fascists will proudly march along Red Square, boasting about the power of Putin’s Reich.” On November 16, this criminal case was closed - the investigation came to the conclusion that the post did not contain “a contemptuously negative attitude towards the days of military glory” and “signs of derogation of historical memory,” but there were signs of discrediting the Russian army, which means that the person involved should be held accountable for the corresponding administrative article (part 1 of article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). At the same time, the period for bringing to justice for this offense has already expired.
- Since February 24, 2022—the first day of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine—residents of Russian cities have been holding anti-war protests every day and talking about the tragedy online. Anti-war speeches and statements become grounds for criminal prosecution. At the moment, more than 800 people have become defendants in criminal cases initiated due to protest against the war with Ukraine. Read more about this in our infographic .
- Article 280.3 (Public actions aimed at discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation) was included in the Criminal Code in March 2022 - in this way the government responded to anti-war speeches and statements, as well as the dissemination of information about the war that does not come from official Russian sources. On March 14, 2023, the State Duma adopted amendments increasing the maximum penalty under this article, since then it has been seven years in prison.